The present invention relates generally to the field of pediatrics and, more particularly, to a system and method for warming premature infant feedings.
Infants are sometimes born prematurely. Since xe2x80x9cpremiesxe2x80x9d are not carried full term they are not fully developed and, hence, need to be looked after with great care. Premies are typically placed in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (xe2x80x9cNICUxe2x80x9d) after being born so that nurses may pay close attention to them to ensure that they are nurtured in the correct manner. One of the most important things for a premie is weight gain. The faster they can put on weight, the better. This is why NICU nurses feed the premies milk on a scheduled basis.
The preference is to feed a premie fresh breast milk from the mother because of the perceived advantages of breast milk. There is hope that the immunologic advantages of breast milk will benefit in reducing some disease processes in very premature infants. However, it is not always possible to feed premies fresh breast milk. Accordingly, breast milk has to be either refrigerated or frozen and then warmed at a later time.
Warming premature infant feedings (breast milk or otherwise) to the correct temperature is important for the health of the premie. Ensuring the integrity of the immunoglobulins and keeping the nutritional components and vitamins found in breast milk intact are just a few reasons why the temperature of the breast milk needs to be controlled with accuracy. Currently, precisely warming premature infant feedings to the correct temperature is a problem in NICU""s. Some simply use hot water, waxes and oils to heat the feedings. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,417,498 to Shields et al., discloses the use of water, organic fluids, gel, and the like to heat infant feedings; however, there are contamination problems to consider when using such media. Warm fluids tend to harbor and promote bacterial growth, thus allowing for bacterial colonization and contamination. Some NICU""s use infant care warmers, such as an isolette, to heat the feedings. However, this is not an accurate method and may take a long time to heat the feedings. Other methods, such as open flame heating and glowing mantle heating are impractical for use in a hospital environment where oxygen is in use.
According to one embodiment of the invention, a system for warming infant feedings includes a housing having a lower chamber, a middle chamber, and an upper chamber, a plurality of apertures associated with a first partition separating the lower chamber from the middle chamber, and a plurality of portals associated with a second partition separating the upper chamber from the middle chamber. Each portal is positioned above a respective aperture and adapted to position an infant feeding over the respective aperture. A false feeding is coupled to an underside of the second partition and disposed above a respective aperture and a surface heat sensor probe is coupled to the false feeding. The surface heat sensor probe is operable to detect a temperature of the false feeding, and a heating unit is coupled to the heat sensor probe. The heating unit includes a fan operable to continuously circulate air through the lower chamber and into the middle chamber. The heating unit further including a thermostat and a heating element, in which the thermostat is operable to control an energy output of the heating element to heat the continuously circulated air and, in conjunction with the surface heat sensor probe, to maintain the temperature of false feeding at a predetermined temperature.
Embodiments of the invention provide a number of technical advantages. Embodiments of the invention may include all, some, or none of these advantages. An infant feeding warmer according to one embodiment of the invention is easy to use and clean and can warm multiple feedings to the correct temperature in a short amount of time. One technical advantage of precisely warming premature infant feedings to the correct temperature is improved health and rapid weight gain for the premie. The integrity of the immunoglobulins, nutritional components, and vitamins found in breast milk may be kept intact. In addition, any undue stress on the premature infant due to any temperature difference between the feeding and the body of the premature infant may be avoided. Feeding a premature infant breast milk at the correct temperature may also decrease the diagnosis of reflux and the problems associated with reflux, such as the use of medications to treat reflux. Another additional advantage is that a premature infant may be able to spend less time in the NICU and/or hospital, which saves expense and stress on the parents.